Toronto Berczy Park Revitalization | ?m | ?s

builddown said:
Former landscaper here, I wonder if that paver-laying machine makes the process faster or just easier.
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Having watched them this morning (almost at same time as SkyCandy was taking photos) I suspect both. It is not really fast but probably a bit faster and certainly easier than all by hand. Of course, the hard parts (the irregular areas) and the sand base must still be done by hand and I noticed that they used the machine to lay 3 of the 4 large pavers but placed the 4th by hand - clearly not worth using the machine for only one row.
 
The Scott St paving began yesterday - there's a strip of granite with bollards to identify the difference between sidewalk and street

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Hopefully after opening this park doesn't fall into the same category:eek:

Toronto’s bone-dry fountains send the message that nobody gives a damn
Toronto’s fountain failures are a symptom of something bigger. Too often, the city invests in fancy new public spaces and then fails to maintain them. Good maintenance is a sign of civilization. Poor maintenance is a sign of government failure. Go to any poor country and one of the first things you notice is that things aren’t kept up.

It can happen in rich countries, too, if they don’t watch out. Public spaces that aren’t properly maintained fall into disrepair. They look shabby and neglected. They give the impression that nobody gives a damn.

Toronto has lots of creative new parks and squares, many of them featuring running water. These are expense efforts in urban design, but many end up looking rundown almost as soon as they open. What’s the point of hiring all those pricey architects and landscape designers if their creations are left to go to seed?
More.............http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ion-that-nobody-gives-a-damn/article31389042/
 
Yup sounds right... Or at least that's the impression I get when in Toronto... The fountains are horrible
 
Automation Gallery said:
Hopefully after opening this park doesn't fall into the same category:eek:

Toronto’s bone-dry fountains send the message that nobody gives a damn
Toronto’s fountain failures are a symptom of something bigger. Too often, the city invests in fancy new public spaces and then fails to maintain them. Good maintenance is a sign of civilization. Poor maintenance is a sign of government failure. Go to any poor country and one of the first things you notice is that things aren’t kept up.

It can happen in rich countries, too, if they don’t watch out. Public spaces that aren’t properly maintained fall into disrepair. They look shabby and neglected. They give the impression that nobody gives a damn.

Toronto has lots of creative new parks and squares, many of them featuring running water. These are expense efforts in urban design, but many end up looking rundown almost as soon as they open. What’s the point of hiring all those pricey architects and landscape designers if their creations are left to go to seed?
More.............http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ion-that-nobody-gives-a-damn/article31389042/
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This is what happens when you convince yourself that the sole mandate of local government is "efficiencies".
 
tiffer24 said:
The lie of the binary choices constantly being presented in this city. You can have a library system or welcoming public spaces. A workable transit network or new expressway projects. But not both. Choose.
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Everyone needs to take blame here - the administration/council, the unions and the public. The outcome is reflective of the priorities of the public afterall - and where is the outcry? It isn't like we didn't know about the issue - we have a dedicated public realm complaints and a fountain thread - and the ridiculousness of the fountain at University and Queen was well documented. This isn't new.

We have to ask what's so special about Toronto that we can't seem to get something as basic as fountains right? We aren't the only ones with cold climate, so let's not use that excuse.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Everyone needs to take blame here - the administration/council, the unions and the public. The outcome is reflective of the priorities of the public afterall - and where is the outcry? It isn't like we didn't know about the issue - we have a dedicated public realm complaints and a fountain thread - and the ridiculousness of the fountain at University and Queen was well documented. This isn't new.

We have to ask what's so special about Toronto that we can't seem to get something as basic as fountains right? We aren't the only ones with cold climate, so let's not use that excuse.

AoD
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Well, the outcome is only reflective of the priorities of the public insofar as you believe that councillors are representing the majority interest. I, for one, don't believe that's the case with our current crop of councillors.

The reality is most people have no idea who's in charge of what in this city, what the decision making process looks like for nearly any policy implementation or spending decision, or what recourse they have to complain or make suggestions.

I would think that if you asked most people if we should adequately fund our parks they'd tend to agree, but that desire isn't reflected in Council's decisions.
 
When all the city is concerned about is finding efficiences in everything, how do you expect things to get maintained?
 
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